THE MAHĀ PRAJÑĀPĀRAMITĀ SŪTRA
Volume 2
Chapter 4: Rebirth
The Venerable Śāriputra addressed the Buddha:
“World-Honored One! When great Bodhisattvas practice Prajñāpāramitā, they should cultivate it in this way. From which realm do they die and come to be reborn in this world? And after dying in this world, where will they be reborn?”
The Buddha said:
“Śāriputra! These great Bodhisattvas may come from another world to be reborn here, or descend from the Tuṣita Heaven, or some may be reborn again in the human world after having lived as humans.
Śāriputra! Bodhisattvas who come here from other worlds quickly become in harmony with Prajñāpāramitā. Because they are already in harmony with Prajñāpāramitā, when they are born into this world, profound Dharma teachings naturally become manifest to them, and they again enter into harmony with Prajñāpāramitā. Wherever such Bodhisattvas are born, they always encounter the Buddhas.
Śāriputra! There are Bodhisattvas in their final birth (Ekajāti-pratibaddha) who descend here from the Tuṣita Heaven. These Bodhisattvas do not lose the six Pāramitās. Wherever they are born, all Dhāraṇī gates and all Samādhi gates quickly manifest before them.
Śāriputra! There are Bodhisattvas who are reborn again in the human world after a human life. Such Bodhisattvas possess dull faculties. Except for having attained the stage of non-retrogression, they cannot quickly enter into harmony with Prajñāpāramitā, nor do the gates of Dhāraṇī and Samādhi readily manifest.
Śāriputra! As you asked, where are the great Bodhisattvas who are in harmony with Prajñāpāramitā reborn after dying in this world? You should know that these great Bodhisattvas, after passing away from one Buddha-land, are reborn in another Buddha-land, never separated from the Buddhas.
Śāriputra! There are great Bodhisattvas who enter the First Dhyāna, the Second Dhyāna, the Third Dhyāna, and the Fourth Dhyāna without employing skillful means, while also practicing the six Pāramitās. Because they attain meditative concentration, these great Bodhisattvas are reborn in the Heaven of Long Life. Then, descending from that heaven to the human world and encountering the Buddhas, these Bodhisattvas nevertheless possess faculties that are not especially keen.
Śāriputra! There are great Bodhisattvas who enter the First through Fourth Dhyānas and also practice Prajñāpāramitā, but because they do not employ skillful means, when they leave meditation they are reborn in the Desire Realm. These Bodhisattvas likewise possess dull faculties.
Śāriputra! There are great Bodhisattvas who enter the First through Fourth Dhyānas; cultivate the Four Immeasurable Minds, from loving-kindness through equanimity; enter the formless attainments from the Sphere of Infinite Space to the Sphere of Neither Perception nor Non-Perception; cultivate the Four Foundations of Mindfulness through the Noble Eightfold Path; and practice the Ten Powers together with great loving-kindness and great compassion. Through the power of skillful means, these great Bodhisattvas are not reborn according to the meditations of the Form Realm, nor according to the Immeasurable Minds, nor according to the formless absorptions. Instead, they are reborn wherever a Buddha appears in the world, never abandoning the practice of Prajñāpāramitā. These Bodhisattvas will attain Buddhahood during the Auspicious Kalpa.
Śāriputra! There are great Bodhisattvas who enter the First through Fourth Dhyānas, cultivate the Four Immeasurable Minds from loving-kindness to equanimity, and enter the formless attainments from the Sphere of Infinite Space to the Sphere of Neither Perception nor Non-Perception. Because they employ the power of skillful means, they are not reborn according to these meditations but instead return to the Desire Realm in order to bring all sentient beings to fulfillment.
Śāriputra! There are great Bodhisattvas who enter the First through Fourth Dhyānas, cultivate the Four Immeasurable Minds, and enter the formless attainments. Through the power of skillful means, they are not reborn according to these meditations but are instead reborn in the heavenly realms of the Desire Realm, such as the Four Heavenly Kings, Trāyastriṃśa, Yāma, Tuṣita, Nirmāṇarati, and Paranirmitavaśavartin heavens, in order to perfect all beings in those realms, purify Buddha-lands, and draw near to the Buddhas.
Śāriputra! There are great Bodhisattvas who practice Prajñāpāramitā and, through the power of skillful means, enter the First Dhyāna. After passing away from this world, they are reborn in the Brahmā Heaven as Great Brahmā Kings. Then they travel to Buddha-lands, and wherever a Buddha has just attained unsurpassed perfect enlightenment but has not yet turned the Wheel of Dharma, they request that the Buddha do so.
Śāriputra! There are great Bodhisattvas in their final birth who practice Prajñāpāramitā. Through the power of skillful means, they enter the First through Fourth Dhyānas, cultivate the Four Immeasurable Minds, enter the formless attainments, cultivate the Four Foundations of Mindfulness through the Noble Eightfold Path, and enter the Samādhis of Emptiness, Signlessness, and Wishlessness. Rather than being reborn according to these meditations, they are reborn where a Buddha appears in the world, practice the holy life, or are born in the Tuṣita Heaven. At the time of death, they do not lose right mindfulness. Endowed with wholesome roots and surrounded respectfully by countless hundreds of thousands of millions of heavenly beings, they come here and attain unsurpassed, complete, and perfect enlightenment.
Śāriputra! There are great Bodhisattvas who possess the six supernatural powers and are not reborn in the Desire Realm, the Form Realm, or the Formless Realm. They travel from one Buddha-land to another, respectfully honoring, making offerings to, and praising the Buddhas.
Śāriputra! There are great Bodhisattvas who, through their freely exercised supernatural powers, travel from one Buddha-land to another. Wherever these Bodhisattvas go, there is neither the Śrāvaka Vehicle nor the Pratyekabuddha Vehicle, nor even the term “Two Vehicles.”
Śāriputra! There are great Bodhisattvas who, through mastery of supernatural powers, travel from one Buddha-land to another. Wherever they go, the beings of those lands enjoy immeasurable lifespans.
Śāriputra! There are great Bodhisattvas who, through mastery of supernatural powers, travel from one Buddha-land to another. Wherever the Three Jewels—Buddha, Dharma, and Saṅgha—are absent, they praise their virtues. By hearing the names of the Buddha, Dharma, and Saṅgha, the beings there are reborn after death in the presence of the Buddhas.
Śāriputra! There are great Bodhisattvas who, from the very moment they first generate the aspiration for enlightenment, attain the First through Fourth Dhyānas, the Four Immeasurable Minds, the Four Formless Attainments, cultivate the Four Foundations of Mindfulness, the Noble Eightfold Path, and even the Eighteen Unique Qualities of a Buddha. These Bodhisattvas are not reborn within the three realms but are always born wherever they can benefit sentient beings.
Śāriputra! There are great Bodhisattvas who, from the very first arising of the aspiration, practice the six Pāramitās and attain the irreversible stage of Bodhisattvahood.
Śāriputra! There are great Bodhisattvas who, immediately upon first generating the aspiration, attain unsurpassed, complete, and perfect enlightenment, turn the Wheel of Dharma, and after benefiting sentient beings, immediately enter Nirvāṇa. The true Dharma remains in the world for either one kalpa or less than one kalpa.
Śāriputra! There are great Bodhisattvas who, from the moment they first generate the aspiration, immediately enter into harmony with Prajñāpāramitā. Together with countless hundreds of thousands of millions of Bodhisattvas, they travel from one Buddha-land to another in order to purify Buddha-lands.
Śāriputra! There are great Bodhisattvas who, while practicing Prajñāpāramitā, attain the Four Dhyānas, the Four Immeasurable Minds, and the Four Formless Attainments, abiding freely within them: entering the First Dhyāna and emerging from it; entering the Cessation Samādhi and emerging from it; continuing in this manner through the Fourth Dhyāna, entering and emerging from the Cessation Samādhi; entering and emerging from the Sphere of Infinite Space; entering and emerging from the Cessation Samādhi; entering and emerging from the Sphere of Neither Perception nor Non-Perception; and entering the Cessation Samādhi again. Such are the great Bodhisattvas who, through the power of skillful means while practicing Prajñāpāramitā, enter transcendent meditative absorptions.
Śāriputra! There are great Bodhisattvas who, while practicing Prajñāpāramitā, cultivate the Four Foundations of Mindfulness up to the Eighteen Unique Qualities of a Buddha, yet do not abide in the fruits of Stream-enterer, Once-returner, Non-returner, Arhat, or Pratyekabuddha. Through the power of skillful means, these Bodhisattvas arouse the Noble Eightfold Path for the sake of liberating sentient beings and use this path to help beings attain the fruits from Stream-entry to Pratyekabuddhahood.
Śāriputra! All Arhatship, Pratyekabuddhahood, and their wisdom have already been surpassed by these great Bodhisattvas, who have attained the Patience of the Non-Arising of Dharmas.
Śāriputra! Such great Bodhisattvas have practiced Prajñāpāramitā in this way and abide in the irreversible stage in this manner.
Śāriputra! There are great Bodhisattvas who abide in the six Pāramitās and adorn the Tuṣita Heaven. You should know that these are Bodhisattvas of the Auspicious Kalpa.
Śāriputra! There are great Bodhisattvas who cultivate the Four Dhyānas up to the Eighteen Unique Qualities of a Buddha without yet realizing the Four Noble Truths. You should know that these are Bodhisattvas in their final birth.
Śāriputra! There are great Bodhisattvas who cultivate the path of unsurpassed, complete, and perfect enlightenment throughout immeasurable asaṃkhyeya kalpas.
Śāriputra! There are great Bodhisattvas who abide in the six Pāramitās, constantly diligent and energetic, benefiting sentient beings, and never speaking useless words.
Śāriputra! There are great Bodhisattvas who abide in the six Pāramitās, constantly diligent in benefiting sentient beings, traveling from one Buddha-land to another in order to eliminate the three evil destinies of sentient beings.
“O Śāriputra! There are Great Bodhisattvas who abide in the Six Pāramitās, with Generosity as the foremost, in order to bring peace and happiness to all sentient beings. They give them food and drink, clothing, beds and dwellings, incense and flowers, lamps, jewels, and whatever else sentient beings need.
“O Śāriputra! There are Great Bodhisattvas who, while practicing Prajñā Pāramitā, transform their bodies into the form of a Buddha in order to preach the Dharma to beings in the hells, among animals, and among hungry ghosts.
“O Śāriputra! There are Great Bodhisattvas who, while practicing the Six Pāramitās, transform their bodies into the form of a Buddha and travel to Ganges-sand countless worlds throughout the ten directions to preach the Dharma to sentient beings. They also make offerings to the Buddhas and hear the Dharma, and they observe and select the pure and splendid features of various Buddha lands so that they may establish their own realms to be even more excellent. Such Great Bodhisattvas are all at the stage of One-Birth-to-Buddhahood.
“O Śāriputra! There are Great Bodhisattvas who, while practicing the Six Pāramitās, perfect the thirty-two marks of excellence, and whose six sense faculties become pure and keen. Because their six faculties are pure and keen, sentient beings admire and respect them. Through that admiration, these Bodhisattvas gradually guide them to liberation by means of the teachings of the Three Vehicles.
“O Śāriputra! Therefore, while practicing Prajñā Pāramitā, a Great Bodhisattva should keep the body pure and the speech pure.
“O Śāriputra! There are Great Bodhisattvas who, from the time they begin practicing the Six Pāramitās, attain purity of the faculties without becoming arrogant or looking down on others.
“O Śāriputra! There are Great Bodhisattvas who, from the moment they first arouse the aspiration for enlightenment and abide in the Pāramitā of Generosity until they reach the stage of non-retrogression, never fall into the three evil destinies.
“O Śāriputra! There are Great Bodhisattvas who, from the time they first arouse the aspiration until they attain the stage of non-retrogression, never abandon the practice of the Ten Wholesome Deeds.
“O Śāriputra! There are Great Bodhisattvas who abide in the Pāramitās of Generosity and Moral Discipline, become Wheel-Turning Holy Kings, lead sentient beings into the ten wholesome paths, and also give wealth and material goods to them.
“O Śāriputra! There are Great Bodhisattvas who abide in the Pāramitās of Generosity and Moral Discipline and, throughout immeasurable thousands upon thousands of lifetimes, become Wheel-Turning Holy Kings. They encounter immeasurable hundreds of thousands of Buddhas, honoring, making offerings to, respecting, and praising them all.
“O Śāriputra! There are Great Bodhisattvas who constantly illuminate sentient beings with the true Dharma, and they themselves also benefit from that illumination. Until they attain Unsurpassed Perfect Complete Enlightenment, they never depart from that illumination.
“O Śāriputra! Such Great Bodhisattvas are already honored within the Buddha Dharma. Therefore, while practicing Prajñā Pāramitā, a Great Bodhisattva should keep body, speech, and mind all pure, allowing no deluded thoughts to arise.”
The Venerable Śāriputra said to the Buddha:
“World-Honored One! What is meant by a Bodhisattva whose bodily actions are impure, whose verbal actions are impure, and whose mental actions are impure?”
The Buddha said:
“O Śāriputra! If a Great Bodhisattva thinks, ‘This is the body; this is speech; this is mind,’ and perceives such characteristics and functions, this is called impurity of body, speech, and mind.
“O Śāriputra! While practicing Prajñā Pāramitā, a Great Bodhisattva sees no body, no speech, and no mind.
“If one sees body, speech, and mind, then because of such perception, body, speech, and mind can give rise to greed, violations of moral discipline, anger, laziness, distraction, and ignorance. You should know that such a Bodhisattva, while practicing Prajñā Pāramitā, is unable to eliminate the coarse karma of body, speech, and mind.”
The Venerable Śāriputra asked the Buddha:
“World-Honored One! How does a Great Bodhisattva eliminate the coarse karma of body, speech, and mind?”
The Buddha said:
“If one sees no body, speech, or mind, then that Great Bodhisattva is able to eliminate the coarse karma of body, speech, and mind.
“O Śāriputra! If, from the moment a Great Bodhisattva first arouses the aspiration for enlightenment, they practice the Ten Wholesome Deeds without giving rise to the aspiration of a Śrāvaka or a Pratyekabuddha, then they will eliminate the coarse karma of body, speech, and mind. There are Great Bodhisattvas who, while practicing Prajñā Pāramitā in accordance with the pure Buddha Path, practice the Pāramitās of Generosity, Moral Discipline, Patience, Diligence, and Meditation. Such Bodhisattvas eliminate the coarse karma of body, speech, and mind.”
The Venerable Śāriputra asked the Buddha:
“World-Honored One! What is the Buddha Path of a Great Bodhisattva?”
The Buddha said:
“O Śāriputra! If one sees no body, speech, or mind; sees no Generosity, Moral Discipline, Patience, Diligence, Meditation, or Prajñā Pāramitā; sees no Śrāvakas, Pratyekabuddhas, Bodhisattvas, or Buddhas—this is called the Buddha Path of a Great Bodhisattva. This means that all dharmas are ultimately without true existence.
“O Śāriputra! There are Great Bodhisattvas who, while practicing the Six Pāramitās, cannot be destroyed by anyone.”
The Venerable Śāriputra asked the Buddha:
“World-Honored One! How is it that a Great Bodhisattva, while practicing the Six Pāramitās, cannot be destroyed by anyone?”
The Buddha said:
“O Śāriputra! While practicing Prajñā Pāramitā, if a Great Bodhisattva never thinks that there are form, feeling, perception, formations, or consciousness; never thinks that there are eye, ear, nose, tongue, body, or mind; never thinks that there are sights, sounds, smells, tastes, tactile objects, or mental phenomena; never thinks that there are the eye element, ear element, nose element, tongue element, body element, mind element; the elements of sights, sounds, smells, tastes, touch, and mental phenomena; the eye-consciousness element, ear-consciousness element, nose-consciousness element, tongue-consciousness element, body-consciousness element, or mind-consciousness element; never thinks that there are the Four Foundations of Mindfulness, the Four Right Efforts, the Four Bases of Supernatural Power, the Five Faculties, the Five Powers, the Seven Factors of Enlightenment, or the Noble Eightfold Path; never thinks that there are the Pāramitās of Generosity, Moral Discipline, Patience, Diligence, Meditation, or Prajñā; never thinks that there are the Ten Powers, the Four Fearlessnesses, the Four Unobstructed Wisdoms, or the Eighteen Unique Qualities of a Buddha; never thinks that there are the fruit of Stream-Entry up to Unsurpassed Perfect Complete Enlightenment—then by thus cultivating and increasing the benefits of the Six Pāramitās, no one can destroy them.
“O Śāriputra! There are Great Bodhisattvas who abide in Prajñā Pāramitā, fully endowed with wisdom. Through this wisdom they do not fall into evil destinies, nor are they reborn among wicked or impoverished human beings. Their bodies are not hated by gods, humans, or asuras.”
The Venerable Śāriputra asked the Buddha:
“World-Honored One! What is the wisdom of a Great Bodhisattva?”
The Buddha said:
“Through this wisdom, a Great Bodhisattva sees Ganges-sand countless Buddhas throughout the ten directions, hears the Buddhas preach the Dharma, sees the Saṅgha, and beholds the magnificently adorned and pure Buddha lands.
“Through this wisdom, a Great Bodhisattva does not dwell on thoughts of Buddhas, Bodhisattvas, Pratyekabuddhas, Śrāvakas, nor on thoughts of self or Buddha lands.
“Through this wisdom, a Great Bodhisattva practices Dāna (Generosity) up to Prajñā Pāramitā without seeing any Generosity through Prajñā Pāramitā to be inherently existent. They practice the Four Foundations of Mindfulness up to the Eighteen Unique Qualities of a Buddha without seeing the Four Foundations of Mindfulness through the Eighteen Unique Qualities as inherently existent.
“This is called the wisdom of a Great Bodhisattva. Through this wisdom, a Great Bodhisattva fully attains all dharmas while still seeing no inherently existing dharmas.
“O Śāriputra! There are Great Bodhisattvas who, while practicing Prajñā Pāramitā, purify the Flesh Eye, the Divine Eye, the Wisdom Eye, the Dharma Eye, and the Buddha Eye. These are also called the Five Pure Eyes.”
The Venerable Śāriputra asked the Buddha:
“World-Honored One! What is the purified Flesh Eye of a Great Bodhisattva?”
The Buddha taught:
“Shariputra! There are Great Bodhisattvas whose fleshly eyes can see a hundred yojanas into the distance; some can see two hundred yojanas; some can see the entire land of Jambudvipa; some can see two continents, or three, four continents; some can see throughout a small thousand-world system, or see throughout a middle thousand-world system; some Bodhisattvas’ fleshly eyes can see throughout the entire three-thousand-great-thousand world system. This is the pure Fleshly Eye of a Great Bodhisattva.
“World-Honored One! What is the pure Heavenly Eye of a Great Bodhisattva?
“Shariputra! There are Great Bodhisattvas whose Heavenly Eyes see as the Four Heavenly Kings have seen, or as the gods of Trayastrimsha have seen, as the gods of Yama have seen, as the gods of Tushita have seen, as the gods of the Transformation Bliss Heaven have seen, as the gods of the Paranirmita-vashavartin Heaven have seen, and as the Brahma heavenly kings have seen, up to what the gods of Akanishtha Heaven have seen.
“The Heavenly Eye of a Great Bodhisattva can further see sentient beings throughout countless Ganges-sand worlds, dying here and being born there. Such things seen cannot be known or seen by the gods from the Four Heavenly Kings up to the Akanishtha Heaven. This itself is the pure Heavenly Eye of a Great Bodhisattva.
“World-Honored One! What is the pure Wisdom Eye of a Great Bodhisattva?
“Shariputra! The Wisdom Eye of a Bodhisattva does not conceive that there is any phenomenon that is conditioned, unconditioned, worldly, transcendent, defiled, or undefiled. There is no phenomenon that is not seen, no phenomenon that is not heard, no phenomenon that is not understood, and no phenomenon that is not known. This is the pure Wisdom Eye of a Great Bodhisattva.
“World-Honored One! What is the pure Dharma Eye of a Great Bodhisattva?
“Shariputra! Through the Dharma Eye, a Great Bodhisattva knows: this person is one who follows faith; this person is one who follows the Dharma; this person is one who practices the signless path. The Bodhisattva also knows: this person cultivates the liberation door of Emptiness; this person cultivates the liberation door of Signlessness; this person cultivates the liberation door of Wishlessness. This person has attained the five faculties; because of the five faculties, attains the uninterrupted samadhi; because of the uninterrupted samadhi, attains the wisdom of liberation; because of the wisdom of liberation, cuts off the three fetters: the view of a self, doubt, and attachment to precepts and practices. This person is called one who has attained the fruit of Stream-entry.
“This person uses the path of contemplation to diminish greed, anger, and ignorance, and attains the fruit of Once-returning. This person advances further on the path of contemplation, eliminating greed, anger, and ignorance of the Desire Realm, and attains the fruit of Non-returning. This person further advances on the path of contemplation, eliminating greed, ignorance, and pride in the Form Realm and Formless Realm, and attains the fruit of Arhatship.
“This person cultivates the liberation doors of emptiness, signlessness, and wishlessness, attains the five faculties, attains the uninterrupted samadhi, and through the uninterrupted samadhi attains the wisdom of liberation. Through the wisdom of liberation, this person clearly knows that the many accumulated afflictions, karmic causes, and conditions are all peaceful phenomena, and attains the fruit of Pratyekabuddhahood. The Dharma Eye of a Bodhisattva sees and knows in this way.
“Shariputra! Through the Dharma Eye, a Great Bodhisattva knows: this person has newly aroused the mind of Bodhi and practices the six Paramitas, accomplishing the faculty of faith and the faculty of diligence; this person’s wholesome roots have matured, and by using the power of skillful means, takes birth in a body to benefit sentient beings. Such a person may be born into the warrior caste, the Brahmin caste, or the householder caste; or may be born among the Four Heavenly Kings, the gods of Trayastrimsha, Yama, Tushita, Transformation Bliss, or Paranirmita-vashavartin heavens. They constantly teach and bring sentient beings to fulfillment, providing them with all necessary offerings and resources. At the same time, they purify Buddha lands, respectfully make offerings to Buddhas, and continue until attaining unsurpassed perfect enlightenment, never falling into the ranks of Hearers or Pratyekabuddhas. The pure Dharma Eye of a Bodhisattva sees and knows in this way.
“Shariputra! Through the Dharma Eye, a Great Bodhisattva knows: this Bodhisattva has regressed from the path of unsurpassed perfect enlightenment; this Bodhisattva has not regressed; this Bodhisattva has received a prediction of Buddhahood; this Bodhisattva has not received a prediction; this Bodhisattva has reached the stage of non-retrogression; this Bodhisattva has not reached the stage of non-retrogression.
“The Bodhisattva also knows: this person has perfected supernatural powers; this person has not perfected supernatural powers. This person has supernatural powers and can travel throughout countless worlds in the ten directions, respectfully honoring and making offerings to Buddhas. This person has not yet attained supernatural powers but will attain them. This person purifies Buddha lands; this person has not yet purified Buddha lands. This person fulfills sentient beings; this person has not yet fulfilled sentient beings. This person is praised by Buddhas; this person has not yet been praised by Buddhas. This person attends upon Buddhas; this person does not attend upon Buddhas. This person’s lifespan is countless and immeasurable; this person’s lifespan has a measurable limit.
“This Bodhisattva, when becoming a Buddha, will have a community of monks with a measurable number; this Bodhisattva, when becoming a Buddha, will have a community of monks beyond measure. This person, when becoming a Buddha, will use Bodhisattvas as the monastic assembly; this person will not use Bodhisattvas as the monastic assembly. This person practices difficult ascetic conduct; this person does not practice difficult ascetic conduct. This person is a One-Life Bodhisattva destined for Buddhahood; this person is not yet a One-Life Bodhisattva. This person has received the final body; this person has not yet received the final body. This person can sit upon the seat of enlightenment; this person cannot yet sit upon the seat of enlightenment. This person can defeat Mara; this person has not yet defeated Mara. These kinds of seeing and knowing are the pure Dharma Eye of a Great Bodhisattva.
“World-Honored One! What is the pure Buddha Eye of a Great Bodhisattva?
“Shariputra! A Great Bodhisattva, from the aspiration for Buddhahood in the mind, sequentially enters the Vajra Samadhi and attains Omniscient Wisdom. At that time, the Bodhisattva accomplishes the ten powers, the four fearlessnesses, the four unobstructed knowledges, the eighteen unique qualities of a Buddha, great loving-kindness, and great compassion. With Omniscient Wisdom, regarding all phenomena, there is nothing that is not seen, nothing that is not heard, nothing that is not understood, and nothing that is not known. Know that this is the pure Buddha Eye when a Great Bodhisattva attains unsurpassed perfect enlightenment.
“Shariputra! To attain the five kinds of eyes, one must learn the six Paramitas.
“Why? Because within the six Paramitas are included all wholesome dharmas: the teachings of the Hearers, the teachings of Pratyekabuddhas, the teachings of Bodhisattvas, and the teachings of Buddhas.
“Shariputra! If there is a truthful teaching that encompasses all wholesome dharmas, that is precisely the Prajna Paramita.
“Shariputra! The Prajna Paramita gives rise to the five kinds of eyes. When Bodhisattvas learn the five kinds of eyes, they attain unsurpassed perfect enlightenment.
“Shariputra! There are Great Bodhisattvas who, while practicing the Prajna Paramita, cultivate the Paramita of Supernatural Powers. Through this, they attain various abilities according to their wishes, such as causing the earth to tremble, transforming one body into countless bodies and returning countless bodies into one body, appearing or disappearing freely, passing through mountains, walls, trees, and stones without obstruction, moving through space as if walking on the ground, walking upon water as if walking on level land, traveling through the sky like birds flying, entering and emerging from earth and stone as if diving and surfacing in water, emitting fire and water from their bodies, like a great mass of flames or water flowing from a snowy mountain. They can extend their hands to touch the sun and moon, can touch the Brahma heavens, and their bodies are always free and unhindered.
“Although displaying such wish-fulfilling supernatural powers, this Great Bodhisattva does not perceive that there are wish-fulfilling supernatural powers, does not perceive the existence of supernatural power abilities, and does not perceive the existence of a body. All of these are not truly existent, because their own nature is empty, because their own nature is free from attachment, because their own nature is unborn. The Bodhisattva never thinks, ‘I have attained wish-fulfilling supernatural powers,’ except with the mind of a Buddha.
“When practicing the Prajna Paramita, a Great Bodhisattva attains the realization of the wisdom of supernatural powers.”
Venerable Śāriputra! By means of the purified divine ear that surpasses the ears of ordinary people, this Bodhisattva hears two kinds of sounds: the sounds of the heavenly realms and the sounds of human beings. Even so, this Bodhisattva does not perceive that there is any divine-ear supernatural power. The divine ear, sounds, and his own body all do not truly exist. Because their own nature is empty, because their own nature is free from separation, because their own nature is unborn, this Bodhisattva does not think, “I possess the divine-ear [supernatural power],” except with respect to the Buddha-mind.
While practicing Prajñā-pāramitā, this Bodhisattva attains realization of the wisdom of the divine-ear supernatural power.
Venerable Śāriputra! This great Bodhisattva knows exactly as they truly are the minds of other sentient beings. If there is a mind of desire, a mind of anger, a mind of ignorance, a mind of craving, a mind of feeling, a scattered mind, a confused mind, a small mind, an unliberated mind, or a mind with limitations, then this Bodhisattva knows correctly that it is a mind of desire, and so forth up to knowing correctly that it is a mind with limitations. If there is a mind free from desire, a mind free from anger, a mind free from ignorance, a mind without craving, a mind without attachment to feeling, a subdued mind, a concentrated mind, a great mind, a liberated mind, or a supreme mind, then this Bodhisattva knows correctly that it is a mind free from desire, and so forth up to knowing correctly that it is a supreme mind. Although knowing exactly as they truly are, this Bodhisattva does not perceive that these minds exist. Why? Because these minds are not mind-characteristics and cannot be conceived. Because their own nature is empty, because their own nature is free from separation, because their own nature is unborn, this Bodhisattva does not think, “I have attained realization of the knowledge of others’ minds,” except with respect to the Buddha-mind.
While practicing Prajñā-pāramitā, this Bodhisattva attains realization of the wisdom of the supernatural power of knowing others’ minds.
Venerable Śāriputra! Using the supernatural power of the wisdom of previous lives, this great Bodhisattva remembers one day, one month, one year, one kalpa, and even countless hundreds of thousands of millions of billions of kalpas: “I was there, with that name and family, with such a way of living and eating, living for such a length of time, experiencing such suffering and happiness; from there I died and was born there, from there I died and was born here, with such appearance and such causes and conditions.” Although remembering clearly in this way, this Bodhisattva does not become attached to the supernatural power of previous lives. The matter of the supernatural power of previous lives and his own body are all not truly existent. Because their own nature is empty, because their own nature is free from separation, because their own nature is unborn, this Bodhisattva never thinks, “I possess the supernatural power of previous lives,” except with respect to the Buddha-mind.
While practicing Prajñā-pāramitā, this great Bodhisattva attains realization of the wisdom of the supernatural power of previous lives.
Venerable Śāriputra! This great Bodhisattva, using the divine eye, sees sentient beings at the time of birth and death, their bodies beautiful or ugly, their places of dwelling good or bad, whether their bodies are large or small. He also sees that sentient beings, according to the causes and conditions of their karma, include some who, because of evil karma created through body, speech, and mind, slander the noble ones and, due to the causes and conditions of wrong views, after death fall into evil realms and descend into hell. He sees that some sentient beings, through the good karma accomplished by body, speech, and mind, respect and trust the noble ones and, due to the causes and conditions of right views, after death enter good realms and are born among the heavens. Although seeing and knowing in this way, this Bodhisattva does not perceive the divine eye, the supernatural power, the ability of the divine-eye supernatural power, or his own body as truly existing. Because their own nature is empty, because their own nature is completely apart, because their own nature is unborn, this Bodhisattva never thinks, “I possess the divine-eye supernatural power,” except with respect to the Buddha-mind.
While practicing Prajñā-pāramitā, this great Bodhisattva attains realization of the wisdom of the divine-eye supernatural power.
This Bodhisattva also clearly sees sentient beings throughout the countless worlds of the ten directions, dying here and being born there, even ascending to the heavenly realms. All four supernatural powers have such penetrating functions. This is the Bodhisattva’s supernatural power of the exhaustion of outflows. Although attaining the supernatural power of the exhaustion of outflows, this Bodhisattva does not fall into the ranks of Śrāvakas or Pratyekabuddhas, but proceeds directly toward the fruit of unsurpassed complete and perfect enlightenment, still relying on no other Dharma apart from Prajñā-pāramitā. This Bodhisattva also does not perceive the supernatural power of the exhaustion of outflows, its ability, or his own body as truly existent. Because their own nature is empty, because their own nature is completely apart, because their own nature is unborn, this Bodhisattva never thinks, “I have attained the supernatural power of the exhaustion of outflows,” except with respect to the Buddha-mind.
While practicing Prajñā-pāramitā, this great Bodhisattva attains realization of the wisdom of the supernatural power of the exhaustion of outflows.
Venerable Śāriputra! While practicing Prajñā-pāramitā, the great Bodhisattva fully possesses the perfection of supernatural powers, by which the fruit of unsurpassed complete and perfect enlightenment is increased.
Venerable Śāriputra! There are great Bodhisattvas who, while practicing Prajñā-pāramitā, abide in the perfection of generosity in order to purify omniscient wisdom. Because it is ultimately empty, they do not give rise to a miserly mind.
Venerable Śāriputra! There are great Bodhisattvas who, while practicing Prajñā-pāramitā, abide in the perfection of morality in order to purify omniscient wisdom. Because it is ultimately empty, they do not become attached to what is sinful or what is not sinful.
Venerable Śāriputra! There are great Bodhisattvas who, while practicing Prajñā-pāramitā, abide in the perfection of patience in order to purify omniscient wisdom. Because it is ultimately empty, they do not become angry.
Venerable Śāriputra! There are great Bodhisattvas who, while practicing Prajñā-pāramitā, abide in the perfection of diligence in order to purify omniscient wisdom. Because it is ultimately empty, their body and mind are diligent and they are not lazy.
Venerable Śāriputra! There are great Bodhisattvas who, while practicing Prajñā-pāramitā, abide in the perfection of meditation in order to purify omniscient wisdom. Because it is ultimately empty, they are not disturbed or agitated and do not become attached to the taste of meditation.
Venerable Śāriputra! There are great Bodhisattvas who, while practicing Prajñā-pāramitā, abide in the perfection of Prajñā in order to purify omniscient wisdom. Because it is ultimately empty, they do not give rise to a mind of ignorance.
O Śāriputra! When a Great Bodhisattva practices the Perfection of Wisdom and abides in the six pāramitās in this way in order to purify All-knowing Wisdom, because ultimately they are empty, because there is neither coming nor going, because there is neither giving nor receiving, because it is neither the precepts nor the violation of precepts, because it is neither patience nor anger, because it is neither diligence nor laziness, because it is neither meditative stillness nor distraction, because it is neither wisdom nor ignorance.
At that time, the Great Bodhisattva does not discriminate between giving and not giving, does not discriminate between maintaining precepts and breaking precepts, does not discriminate between patience and anger, does not discriminate between diligence and negligence, does not discriminate between wisdom and ignorance, does not discriminate between destruction, contempt, and arrogance, and reverence and respect.
Why is this so? Because in the Dharma of non-arising, there is no one who receives destruction, no one who receives harm, and no one who receives contempt, reverence, or respect.
O Śāriputra! By practicing the Perfection of Wisdom in this way, the Great Bodhisattva attains such merits; the Śrāvakas and Pratyekabuddhas do not possess these merits. Therefore, the Great Bodhisattva is complete in all kinds of accomplishments for sentient beings, purifies the Buddha-lands, and attains All-knowing Wisdom.
O Śāriputra! When practicing the Perfection of Wisdom, toward all sentient beings the Great Bodhisattva gives rise to an equal mind. Having given rise to an equal mind toward all sentient beings, the Bodhisattva attains the equality of all dharmas. Having attained the equality of all dharmas, the Bodhisattva establishes all sentient beings within that equality of Dharma.
This Great Bodhisattva, in this very life, is loved by all Buddhas in the ten directions and is also respected by all Bodhisattvas, Pratyekabuddhas, and Śrāvakas.
Regardless of where this Great Bodhisattva is born, within the eye faculty they do not see forms as existing, nor do they crave forms; likewise, up to the mind faculty, they do not know dharmas as existing, nor do they crave dharmas.
O Śāriputra! The Great Bodhisattva who practices the Perfection of Wisdom in this way never diminishes the path and fruit of Unsurpassed Complete and Perfect Enlightenment.
When the Buddha was teaching this chapter on the Perfection of Wisdom, three hundred bhikshus in the assembly stood up, offered their own robes as an offering to the Buddha, and generated the aspiration for Unsurpassed Complete and Perfect Enlightenment.
The Buddha smiled, and from the Buddha’s mouth rays of light of many colors emerged.
The Venerable Ānanda immediately stood up, adjusted his robes, knelt upright, placed his palms together, touched his right knee to the ground, and addressed the Buddha:
“For what reason does the Buddha smile?”
The Buddha said:
“O Ānanda! After sixty-one kalpas, these three hundred bhikshus will become Buddhas, with the name Great General. After abandoning this body, these three hundred bhikshus will be born in the land of the Buddha Akṣobhya. Together with sixty thousand devas from the desire realm, they will all generate the aspiration for Unsurpassed Complete and Perfect Enlightenment, and they will leave home and cultivate the Buddha path within the true Dharma of the Buddha Maitreya.”
At that time, through the Buddha’s majestic spiritual power, the four assemblies in the Dharma gathering saw a thousand Buddhas in the ten directions. The lands in those ten directions were all adorned and purified, surpassing this Sahā world. Ten thousand people generated the aspiration to cultivate pure conduct in order to be born in those Buddha worlds.
The Buddha, knowing the aspirations of these virtuous men, smiled again, and rays of light emerged from the Buddha’s mouth.
The Venerable Ānanda asked the Buddha the reason. The Buddha said:
“These ten thousand beings will be born throughout the worlds of the ten directions, never separated from the Buddhas. In the future, they will all become Buddhas, sharing the same name: Thus Come One Adorned King.”
Chapter 5: PRAISING THE PĀRAMITĀS
At that time, the Venerable Śāriputra, the Venerable Mahāmaudgalyāyana, Subhūti, Mahā Kāśyapa, together with the great assembly of bhikshus, the assembly of Great Bodhisattvas, the assembly of male lay followers, and the assembly of female lay followers all stood up, knelt upright, joined their palms, and addressed the Buddha:
Homage to the World-Honored One! The Great Perfection of Wisdom (Mahā-prajñā-pāramitā) is the Prajñā-pāramitā of the Great Bodhisattvas; it is the most exalted Perfection, the foremost Perfection, the noble Perfection, the wondrous Perfection, the unsurpassed Perfection, the Perfection beyond all comparison, the Perfection incomparable to anything, the Perfection like empty space—all are the Prajñā-pāramitā of the Great Bodhisattvas.
Homage to the World-Honored One! The Perfection whose own nature is emptiness is the Prajñā-pāramitā of the Great Bodhisattvas; the Perfection of the emptiness of all dharmas, the Perfection of the emptiness of non-dharma and existent dharma, the Perfection that reveals all merits and virtues, the Perfection that accomplishes all merits and virtues, the Perfection that cannot be destroyed—all are the Prajñā-pāramitā of the Great Bodhisattvas.
Homage to the World-Honored One! When the Great Bodhisattvas practice these Prajñā-pāramitās, their giving becomes the unsurpassed Perfection of Giving, their body attains the incomparable Dharma, and this is precisely Unsurpassed Perfect Enlightenment. Just as with the Perfection of Giving, so too are the other five Perfections.
The World-Honored One, through having practiced this Prajñā-pāramitā, also perfected the six Perfections, attained dharmas beyond all comparison, attained unsurpassed form, feeling, perception, formations, and consciousness, became a Buddha, and turned the supreme Dharma wheel.
The Buddhas of the past also practiced this Prajñā-pāramitā, thereby perfecting unsurpassed giving, and so forth, until turning the supreme Dharma wheel.
The Buddhas of the future will also practice this Prajñā-pāramitā, and will perfect unsurpassed giving, and so forth, until they will turn the supreme Dharma wheel.
Therefore, the Great Bodhisattvas who wish to cross over to the far shore of all dharmas must practice Prajñā-pāramitā.
Homage to the World-Honored One! All beings in the world, including gods, humans, and asuras, should bow in reverence and make offerings to the Great Bodhisattvas who practice Prajñā-pāramitā.
The Buddha taught:
“Indeed, indeed, it is exactly so! O good man! All beings in the world, including gods, humans, and asuras, should bow in reverence and make offerings to those who practice Prajñā-pāramitā. Why is this so? Because through the coming and going of these Bodhisattvas, the world gives rise to the fortunate paths, such as the human realm and the heavenly realms, from the Four Heavenly Kings up to the Heaven of Ultimate Form. It also gives rise to the fruits of the stages of Stream-enterer, Once-returner, Non-returner, Arhat, Pratyekabuddha, and the Buddhas. Through the coming and going of these Bodhisattvas, the world gives rise to the necessities of life, such as food and drink, clothing, bedding, lamps and torches, houses and dwellings, jewels, maṇi gems, crystal, lapis lazuli, coral, gold, silver, and so forth.
O Śāriputra! All things desired by the world, or in the heavens where beings are free from sensual desires, all those desired things arise from these Bodhisattvas.
Why is this so? Because while practicing the Bodhisattva path, this Great Bodhisattva abides in the six Perfections, practices giving himself, and also uses giving to bring about the accomplishment of sentient beings; likewise, he practices Prajñā-pāramitā himself and also uses Prajñā-pāramitā to bring about the accomplishment of sentient beings.
O Śāriputra! Therefore, in order to bring peace and happiness to all sentient beings, the Great Bodhisattva appears in the world.”
Chapter 6: The Sign of the Tongue
At that time, the World-Honored One manifested a broad and long tongue that covered the entire trichiliocosm. From that tongue arose countless rays of light, of immeasurable colors, shining throughout the innumerable worlds of the ten directions.
In the countless worlds in the eastern direction, innumerable and incalculable Bodhisattvas who saw this light all asked their respective Buddhas about this radiance. The Buddhas told them that this light came forth from the tongue-mark of the Thus Come One Shakyamuni Buddha in the Saha world of the western direction, in order to expound the Prajñā-pāramitā for the Bodhisattvas to hear.
Just as in the eastern direction, so too in the other nine directions, the Bodhisattvas asked and the Buddhas answered in the same manner.
The Bodhisattvas of the ten directions all addressed their respective Buddhas, requesting permission to go to the Saha world to pay homage to Shakyamuni Buddha, meet the great Bodhisattvas, and listen to the Prajñā-pāramitā. All the Buddhas gave their approval.
The Bodhisattvas of the ten directions brought with them precious flowers, precious incense, banners and streamers, jeweled canopies, gold and silver, and pearls and gems to the Saha world. The devas of the Heaven of the Four Heavenly Kings all came up to the Heaven of Akaniṣṭha, and they too brought heavenly flowers, heavenly incense, fragrant trees, fragrant leaves, and many kinds of heavenly blue, red, pink, and white lotuses, all coming together to the place of Shakyamuni Buddha.
The flowers offered by the great Bodhisattvas and the devas stopped in midair and transformed into a jeweled platform with four pillars, multicolored and extremely magnificent.
In the assembly of Shakyamuni Buddha, there were ten trillion people who all stood up, placed their palms together, and addressed the Buddha:
“World-Honored One! In future ages, we too will attain the same Dharma as Shakyamuni Buddha has now attained, and for the disciples in the assembly we will expound the Dharma in the same way.”
Knowing that this great assembly had single-mindedly entered the Dharma of non-arising, non-ceasing, non-emergence, and non-creation, and had already attained the patience of the Dharma, the Buddha smiled. From the mouth of the World-Honored One emerged rays of light of many colors.
The Venerable Ānanda asked the Buddha about the cause and condition of this. The Buddha taught:
“Ānanda! These ten trillion people have already attained the patience of non-arising. After sixty-eight trillion kalpas, they will accomplish Buddhahood in the Kalpa of Accumulated Flowers. They will all share the same name: Enlightened Flower Thus Come One.”
Chapter 7: The Three False Views
The Buddha said to the Life of Wisdom Subhūti:
You should teach the Great Bodhisattvas the Prajñāpāramitā in accordance with what the Great Bodhisattvas should accomplish.
Immediately, the entire assembly of Bodhisattvas, Śrāvakas, humans, and devas all thought: “Will the Life-of-Wisdom Subhūti use his own wisdom, or rely on the Buddha’s spiritual power, to expound the Prajñāpāramitā for the Great Bodhisattvas to hear?”
Knowing the thoughts of the assembly, the Venerable Subhūti said to the Life-of-Wisdom Śāriputra:
Whatever the Śrāvaka disciples say in teaching the Dharma or giving instructions is all based upon the Buddha’s spiritual power. The Buddha’s teachings do not contradict the characteristics of Dharma, like a bright lamp. The virtuous sons who cultivate according to that Dharma attain realization of that Dharma. The Śrāvakas and Pratyekabuddhas truly do not have the ability to explain the Prajñāpāramitā to the Great Bodhisattvas.
The Life-of-Wisdom Subhūti said to the Buddha:
World-Honored One! The Bodhisattvas have already been spoken of; then what Dharma is called a Bodhisattva? We do not see any true Dharma that can be called a Bodhisattva, so how can we teach the Great Bodhisattvas the Prajñāpāramitā?
The Buddha said:
Subhūti! In truth, there is only the designation called Prajñāpāramitā. Bodhisattva and the name “Bodhisattva” are also only designations. This designation is neither inside, nor outside, nor in between.
Subhūti! For example, when we speak of self, sentient beings, life span, living, growth, understanding, cognition, creation, and arising, all are dharmas that exist through combination and harmony of conditions. These names are originally neither produced nor destroyed; they are merely spoken according to worldly designations.
Likewise, Prajñāpāramitā, Bodhisattva, and the name Bodhisattva all exist through combination and harmony of conditions. They are also originally neither produced nor destroyed, and are merely spoken according to worldly designations.
For example, the body exists through combination and harmony of conditions; form, feeling, perception, formations, and consciousness also exist through combination and harmony of conditions. All are neither produced nor destroyed, and are merely spoken according to worldly designations. Prajñāpāramitā, Bodhisattva, and the name Bodhisattva are also like this.
Subhūti! For example, the eye, ear, nose, tongue, body, and mind; form, sound, smell, taste, touch, and phenomena; the eye element, ear element, and so forth up to the mind-consciousness element; all twelve sense bases and eighteen elements exist through combination and harmony of conditions. They are originally neither produced nor destroyed, and are merely spoken according to worldly designations. These things are neither inside, nor outside, nor in between.
Likewise, Prajñāpāramitā, Bodhisattva, and the name Bodhisattva all exist through combination and harmony of conditions. They are originally unborn and undestroyed, merely spoken of through worldly designations, and are neither inside, nor outside, nor in the middle.
Subhūti! For example, within the body, what is called head, neck, shoulder, arm, back, waist, thigh, and foot; and things within such as grass, trees, branches, leaves, stems, and nodes, all exist through combination and harmony of conditions. They are originally neither produced nor destroyed, merely spoken of according to worldly designations, and are neither inside, nor outside, nor in between.
Prajñāpāramitā, Bodhisattva, and the name Bodhisattva are also like this. They all exist through combination and harmony of conditions, are originally unborn and undestroyed, merely spoken of according to worldly designations, and are neither inside, nor outside, nor in between.
Subhūti! For example, the names of the Buddhas of the past exist through combination and harmony of conditions. They are also unborn and undestroyed, merely spoken of according to worldly designations, and are neither inside, nor outside, nor in between. Prajñāpāramitā, Bodhisattva, and the name Bodhisattva are also like this.
For example, dreams, echoes, reflections, magical illusions, mirages, and transformations all exist through combination and harmony of conditions. They are merely spoken of according to worldly designations. These things and their names are originally unborn and undestroyed, neither inside, nor outside, nor in between. Prajñāpāramitā, Bodhisattva, and the name Bodhisattva are also like this. They all exist through combination and harmony of conditions, are unborn and undestroyed, and are neither inside, nor outside, nor in between.
Subhūti! One should practice as follows: When the Great Bodhisattva practices the Prajñāpāramitā, the designation of Prajñāpāramitā, the taking up of Prajñāpāramitā, and the very Dharma of Prajñāpāramitā are all merely provisional expressions.
While practicing the Prajñāpāramitā, the Great Bodhisattva does not see the designation of form, nor the designations of feeling, perception, formations, and consciousness, as permanent, impermanent, suffering, happiness, self, non-self, impure, pure. Nor does the Great Bodhisattva see the designations of these five aggregates as empty, signless, wishless, peaceful, arising, ceasing, inside, outside, or in between.
Just as with the five aggregates, the eye faculty, forms, eye-consciousness, eye-contact, and the causes and conditions giving rise to feelings born from eye-contact; up to the mind faculty, mental objects, mind-consciousness, mind-contact, and the causes and conditions giving rise to feelings born from mind-contact, are likewise so. The Great Bodhisattva does not see them as permanent, impermanent, and so forth, nor does the Great Bodhisattva see them as being in between.
Why? Because while practicing the Prajñāpāramitā, the Great Bodhisattva does not see, in the nature of conditioned phenomena or the nature of unconditioned phenomena, Prajñāpāramitā, Bodhisattva, or the name Bodhisattva. Regarding these dharmas, the Great Bodhisattva has no thought of discrimination.
Practicing the Prajñāpāramitā, this Great Bodhisattva abides in the indestructible Dharma. While cultivating the Four Foundations of Mindfulness up to cultivating the eighteen distinctive qualities of a Buddha, the Great Bodhisattva does not see Prajñāpāramitā and the designation of Prajñāpāramitā, nor does the Great Bodhisattva see Bodhisattva and the designation of Bodhisattva.
While practicing the Prajñāpāramitā, the Great Bodhisattva only knows the true nature of all dharmas. This true nature is neither defiled nor pure.
While practicing the Prajñāpāramitā, the Great Bodhisattva must know that names are merely provisional expressions. Having known that designations are merely provisional expressions, the Great Bodhisattva does not cling to form, feeling, perception, formations, or consciousness; does not cling to eye, ear, nose, tongue, body, or mind; does not cling to form, sound, smell, taste, touch, or phenomena; does not cling to eye-contact and the causes and conditions of eye-contact, up to mind-contact and the causes and conditions of mind-contact giving rise to feelings, whether painful, pleasant, or neither painful nor pleasant; does not cling to conditioned nature or unconditioned nature; does not cling to Dāna, Śīla, Kṣānti, Vīrya, Dhyāna, and Prajñāpāramitā; does not cling to the thirty-two marks; does not cling to the Bodhisattva body; does not cling to the Human Eye, Divine Eye, Wisdom Eye, Dharma Eye, or Buddha Eye; does not cling to the Perfection of Wisdom, the Perfection of Supernatural Powers; does not cling to inner emptiness up to the emptiness of non-existence and existence; does not cling to bringing about the accomplishment of sentient beings; does not cling to purifying Buddha lands; does not cling to skillful means.
Why? Because all these dharmas are empty, therefore there is no person who clings, no Dharma that is clung to, and no act of clinging.
While practicing the Prajñāpāramitā, the Great Bodhisattva does not cling to any dharma. Therefore, the six Perfections increase and rise to the level of an irreversible Bodhisattva, possessing great supernatural powers, going to this Buddha land and that Buddha land to make offerings to the Buddhas, liberate sentient beings, purify Buddha lands, and also hear the Buddhas expound the Dharma. After hearing it, the Bodhisattva remembers it continuously until attaining Anuttara-samyak-saṃbodhi without forgetting, and obtains the Dharani gates and the Samadhi gates.
Therefore, when a Great Bodhisattva practices the Perfection of Wisdom, he must clearly understand that the names and designations of all dharmas are merely provisionally established.
Subhuti, are form, feeling, perception, formations, and consciousness a Bodhisattva?
No, World-Honored One!
Subhuti, are the eye, ear, nose, tongue, body, and mind; form, sound, smell, taste, touch, and dharmas; eye-consciousness, ear-consciousness, nose-consciousness, tongue-consciousness, body-consciousness, and mind-consciousness a Bodhisattva?
No, World-Honored One!
Subhuti, are the water element, fire element, wind element, space element, and consciousness element a Bodhisattva?
No, World-Honored One!
Subhuti, are ignorance, formations, consciousness, name-and-form, the six sense bases, contact, feeling, craving, grasping, becoming, birth, aging, and death a Bodhisattva?
No, World-Honored One!
Subhuti, apart from the five aggregates, the twelve sense bases, and the eighteen elements; apart from the six great elements and the twelve links of dependent origination, is that a Bodhisattva?
No, World-Honored One!
Subhuti, are the suchness characteristics of the five aggregates, up to the suchness characteristics of the twelve links of dependent origination, a Bodhisattva?
No, World-Honored One!
Subhuti, apart from those suchness characteristics, is that a Bodhisattva?
No, World-Honored One!
Subhuti, what meaning do you see in saying that all the dharmas mentioned above and that which is apart from those dharmas are not Bodhisattvas?
World-Honored One, even sentient beings are ultimately nonexistent; how much less could a Bodhisattva exist? Form itself is ultimately nonexistent; how much less could form or what is apart from form be a Bodhisattva? How much less could the suchness characteristic of form or what is apart from the suchness characteristic of form be a Bodhisattva? Likewise, up to the twelve links of dependent origination are ultimately nonexistent; how much less could the twelve links of dependent origination or what is apart from the twelve links of dependent origination be a Bodhisattva? How much less could the suchness characteristic or what is apart from the suchness characteristic of the twelve links of dependent origination be a Bodhisattva?
Excellent, excellent! That is correct, Subhuti! Because the Great Bodhisattva and sentient beings are nonexistent, the Perfection of Wisdom also cannot be attained or grasped. One should train in this way.
Subhuti, are form, feeling, perception, formations, and consciousness the meaning of a Bodhisattva?
World-Honored One, they are not!
Subhuti, are form, feeling, perception, formations, and consciousness—whether permanent or impermanent, blissful or suffering, self or non-self—the meaning of a Bodhisattva?
World-Honored One, they are not!
Subhuti, are form, feeling, perception, formations, and consciousness—whether empty or not empty, with characteristics or without characteristics, conditioned or unconditioned—the meaning of a Bodhisattva? Up to aging and death, it is the same.
World-Honored One, they are not!
Subhuti, what meaning do you see in saying that the five aggregates up to the twelve links of dependent origination are not the meaning of a Bodhisattva, and that the five aggregates up to the twelve links of dependent origination—whether permanent or impermanent, and so on up to being created or not created—are not the meaning of a Bodhisattva?
World-Honored One, the five aggregates up to the twelve links of dependent origination are ultimately nonexistent; how much less could their meaning be the meaning of a Bodhisattva? The five aggregates up to the twelve links of dependent origination, whether permanent or up to being uncreated, are ultimately nonexistent; how much less could their meaning be the meaning of a Bodhisattva?
Well said, well said, it is indeed so! Subhuti, when a Great Bodhisattva practices the Perfection of Wisdom, the meanings of form, feeling, perception, formations, and consciousness, up to and including the meaning of non-creation, do not truly exist. One should learn the Perfection of Wisdom in this way.
Subhuti! You said that you do not see any dharma that is called a Bodhisattva. Subhuti! Dharmas do not see dharmas. Dharmas do not see the nature of dharma; the nature of dharma does not see dharmas. The nature of dharma does not see the element of earth; the element of earth does not see the nature of dharma. Up to and including the element of consciousness, it is the same. The nature of dharma does not see the nature of the eye, form, and eye-consciousness, up to and including the nature of mind-consciousness; the nature of the eye, form, and eye-consciousness, up to and including the nature of mind-consciousness, also does not see the nature of dharma.
Subhuti! The nature of the conditioned does not see the nature of the unconditioned; the nature of the unconditioned also does not see the nature of the conditioned. Why? Because apart from the conditioned, the unconditioned cannot be spoken of; apart from the unconditioned, the conditioned cannot be spoken of.
Indeed, Subhuti! A Great Bodhisattva practicing the Perfection of Wisdom does not see any dharmas. At that time, the Bodhisattva is neither frightened nor regretful; the mind does not become lost and there is no remorse.
Why? Because this Great Bodhisattva does not see the five aggregates, the twelve sense bases, the eighteen elements, or even the twelve links of dependent origination; does not see self, sentient beings, and so on, up to understanding and cognition; does not see the Desire Realm, the Form Realm, or the Formless Realm; does not see the Hearers or the Pratyekabuddhas; does not see Bodhisattvas or the dharmas of Bodhisattvas; does not see Buddhas, Buddha-dharma, or the Buddha path. Because all dharmas are not seen, the Bodhisattva is not frightened, does not become lost, and does not regret.
The World-Honored One, why is it that this Bodhisattva’s mind does not become lost and does not regret?
Subhuti! All the minds and mental factors of this Great Bodhisattva do not truly exist and cannot be seen. Therefore, the mind of the Bodhisattva does not become lost and does not regret.
The World-Honored One, why is it that the Bodhisattva’s mind is not frightened?
Subhuti! The intention and consciousness of this Bodhisattva do not truly exist and cannot be seen; therefore, the Bodhisattva is not frightened.
Indeed, Subhuti! Because all dharmas do not truly exist, the Great Bodhisattva should practice the Perfection of Wisdom.
Subhuti! In every respect, the Great Bodhisattva does not see the Perfection of Wisdom, does not see the Bodhisattva, does not see the designation “Bodhisattva,” and also does not see the mind of the Bodhisattva. This is precisely the instruction given to the Great Bodhisattva.